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For a moment no one spoke. Then Bass said, “I’ll wait for Whit.”

Eden released the breath she’d been holding.

When Nate came out, she handed him the notebook. “The sheriff needs the exact words, not anyone’s guesses.”

Nate read the page, his expression growing grave at trees burn and don’t sell.

“I’ll see Whit gets it,” he said.

Behind him, Jesse called weakly, “Eden?”

She returned to the doorway.

He was watching the empty chair by the window.

“You going?”

“Only to finish my coffee.”

He hesitated. “After that?”

Eden rested a hand on the doorframe.

“After that, I thought I’d come back. Unless you’d rather I didn’t.”

His eye moved to hers.

“Bring the book,” he said.

“The notebook?”

“Yeah. Don’t tell Simon what I said about the bride.”

“I’m afraid he already knows.”

Jesse groaned.

Eden laughed as she stepped into the hall.

Carolina was waiting near the stairs. “I’m going to see you get some rest. You’ve barely had time to sit since you arrived.”

“I was hoping for a chance to wash the dust out of my hair.”

“Then you’re in luck. There’s hot water waiting upstairs.”

Eden glanced back toward Jesse’s room. “Will he be all right?”

“Nate’s with him. I’ll be here if he needs anything.”

That settled it. Eden climbed the narrow staircase, looking forward to a clean dress, a proper meal, and a little time to write home.

For the first time since leaving Missouri, she had a room of her own and somewhere she could return without being summoned to tend a wound.

Chapter Six

Jesse woke to Nate pressing a finger against the sole of his right foot.

“Feel that?”